Everything is gonna be alright
by AnOpenBookWithATornOutPage
Summary: After a terrible accident, Nick and Leanne find themselves back to square one. Though this time, Nick's head injury is a lot worse.
1. Chapter 1

"Leanne come on, we're going to be late", Nick calls from the kitchen.

"Yeah I'm coming, just wait a sec", Leanne replies back.

After a few minutes, Leanne enters the room wearing a long red dress with silver jewelry. Her bump is very visible.

"Mum, you look well good", Simon smiles.

"Ha, ha. Cheers Si", Leanne laughs.

Nick is quite speechless at how beautiful Leanne looks. He himself is wearing a black suit, white polo T-shirt, and a red tie.

"You look gorgeous", Nick blushes.

"Thank you, you look very handsome yourself", Leanne giggles.

* * *

The couple is heading to the Christmas party at the Bistro for the staff. They just have to drop off Simon at his dad's house and then they will go straight to the Bistro.

"Ah, why can't I just go to the party?", Simon moans.

"You know why, you're too young", Leanne replies.

"Besides, you would find it boring anyway", Nick laughs.

As they walk towards Peter's house, Simon puts on his headphones and walks on ahead, only being interested in the music he is listening to. He ends up at Peter's door and turns to see both Nick and Leanne still on the opposite side of the road.

"Oh my gosh, you guys take forever", Simon bellows. Chuckling to themselves, the couple crosses the road together, holding each other's hand.

Suddenly, a van comes out of nowhere, speeding down the road. With a split second, Nick pushes Leanne out of the way. All of a sudden, his body rolls up at the front of the van, with his head hitting the front window. After that, his body rolls off the van and his head smashes onto the road.

"Nick!"


	2. Chapter 2

Leanne screams Nick's name while running towards his nearly lifeless body. He is lying completely still on his back, his head is tilt to one side, his eyes are closed and his arms and legs are stretched out. As Leanne runs to him on the road, she notices a pool of blood coming out of his right ear.

"Oh my gosh! Nick, Nick! Nick, can you hear me? Can you hear me, Nick?", Leanne panics while shaking his body, trying to wake him up.

"Dad, Granddad, anyone! Open the door! Help us!", Simon yells as his bangs on the door.

"Whoa Si, what's wrong?", Peter asks as he opens the door to see Simon full of tears.

"It's Nick, he's been hit by a van", Simon cries. Stepping out of his house, Peter sees Leanne besides an unconscious body on the road.

"Ok, ok, I'll call an ambulance", Peter gasps as he dials 999.

Leanne is desperately trying to keep herself together, but as each second passes, it keeps getting harder and harder for her to stay in control.

"You're going to be ok Nick. I promise, you're going to be fine", Leanne sobs, knowing she cannot keep such a promise.

* * *

It has been a few minutes, but the ambulance has now arrived. The paramedics rush to Nick's side, asking for Leanne to give them some space. Leanne reluctantly agrees. After asking him questions and gently shaking him to which Nick doesn't respond to, they check for his breathing, but it is very inadequately. Then they check for his heart rate, but it is very faint. They put a cervical collar around his neck and they put him on a trauma board which is quickly transported onto a stretcher. Swiftly, they put a bag valve mask over his mouth to help him breathe normally, while they push him towards the ambulance. As soon as they come towards the vehicle, Leanne begs them to let her join them:

"Please let me come with you, please"

The paramedics reluctantly agree and soon the ambulance drives off to the hospital.

Leanne whispers to the man she loves, "Please don't die, Nick. Please don't die"


	3. Chapter 3

Holding back her tears, Leanne begs Nick not to die; she doesn't know how she will cope if she can no longer be with the love of her life and the future father of her unborn child. It has only been a couple of minutes since they got in, but to Leanne, it feels like it has been days, as she just wants Nick to get into the hospital so the nurses can help him. Just seeing her partner lying down on the stretcher, eyes closed, completely still, wires attached to him everywhere, stuck in a head/neck brace with an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth- it keeps getting harder and harder for Leanne to hold back the tears.

Suddenly the constant beeping in the background becomes very loud and unstable.

"What's- what's going on?", Leanne panics.

"We have a vehicle cardiac arrest", the paramedic shouts to the driver. As the ambulance comes to a stop, the paramedic explains to Leanne what is going on:

"He has entered into a cardiac arrest, which means we have to stop now so we can shock him"

"What's a cardiac arrest?", Leanne asks while her tears roll down her cheeks.

"It means his heart has stopped beating"

Leanne is speechless. She looks up to the heart monitor and sees a flat line. Moving out of the way, she watches from behind in horror as she sees the paramedic rip up Nick's polo t-shirt and put on two pads, one on the upper right side of his chest and one on his left side, just below his armpit. After the paramedic switches on the automated external defibrillator, Leanne puts her hands over her mouth as she feels like she is going to throw up. Nick's chest suddenly shocks up, then the paramedic applies chest compression for two minutes. After the two minutes, the defibrillator applies another shock and the paramedic applies another chest compression.

Finally, Nick's heart starts beating again and the beeping in the background becomes constant. Leanne looks up to see the heart monitor showing a line that is going up and down.

"We've regained a pulse, he's breathing again", says the paramedic.

"So... he's gonna be ok?", asks Leanne.

"For now"

"So- so he can still die?"

"Let's just get us to the hospital, ok"

Covering her mouth with her hands again, Leanne feels full of nausea. What just happened a few seconds ago was the most horrible experience of her life. She can barely keep her breathing under control, never mind her tears. She is just praying that Nick doesn't die from this. Praying that this dreadful nightmare will end soon.


	4. Chapter 4

Walking at a fast pace, the paramedics are taking Nick to the CT scanner room, so they know exactly what's wrong with him. Leanne is close behind, watching her partner barely staying alive on a stretcher just ahead of her. All she wants to do right now is to give him a kiss and a hug, and assure him that everything is going to be alright.

"We need you go to the waiting room"

One of the paramedics slightly catches Leanne off guard.

"What did you say?", Leanne mutters.

"I said that you need to go to the waiting room. Now", the paramedic sternly answers back.

Taken aback, Leanne slowly stops and just sees Nick getting further and further away from her until they turn a corner and now she can no longer see the man she loves.

* * *

"Oh, come on! Where is he?", David shouts out of frustration.

"David now, come on, all this shouting isn't going help isn't it?", Audrey snaps back.

David, Gail, Sarah, and Audrey are in the waiting room after hearing the news from Peter. Bethany, Max, Lily, and Harry are at the Platts' house with Sally and Tim looking after them. While David keeps walking up and down, Gail is sitting with her hands over her mouth, praying that her beloved son is alright.

"Mum, are ok?", Sarah asks with worry.

"I can't go through this again Sarah. I can't go through this", Gail weeps.

"He's going to be ok mum. This is Nick we are talking about. He is as stable as you can get", Sarah reassures her mum before giving her a needed hug.

Soon after, David spots Nick going pass on a stretcher on the other side of the window:

"Nick!"

David runs to the window followed by Gail, and they see Nick's unconscious body. The past memories come flooding back to them.

"No, no, not again, not again!", Gail sobs and falls to her knees.

"Gail, Gail, come here, come here darling", Audrey says as she goes down to comfort her daughter.

David is completely speechless. He remembers the last time when both him and Nick were in the ambulance when Nick went into cardiac arrest. Looking away from the window, he sees Leanne behind a shocked Sarah just entering the waiting room.


	5. Chapter 5

It has been a while since Leanne arrive at the waiting room. She explained to everyone what happened during the accident and now they are all waiting for the results from the scan.

"Are you Nick's family?", the nurse asks while walking into the room.

"Yeah, we are. How is he?", Leanne replies.

"The scan shows that he has multiple blood clots on his brain. Unfortunately, there is a very large one that is in the same place where it was before when he had his other accident, and it is a lot bigger"

"No! Oh no, no, no!", Gail sobs.

"Hey now, it's going to be ok", Audrey whispers while comforting Gail.

"Is he... Is he going to be alright?", Leanne barely asks.

"We will have to remove the blood clot or he will die. Getting rid of that blood clot is a top priority right now", the nurse replies.

"When will we find out if he is dead or not?", David questions quite sternly, although he is holding back tears. However, Leanne is quite taken back from the words he had just said.

"The surgery will be for a few hours and I come back to you as soon as we are finished", the nurse replies. David nods and looks down towards the floor, then mutters an apology out loud. He knew what he said would of upset his family.

* * *

It's been over four hours since the operation began. No one has said a word to each other during that time, they are all too nervous to speak. Gail is resting on Audrey's shoulder, holding her hand while quietly crying to herself. Audrey is gently stroking her daughter's hand with her thumb, looking out into the distance, just thinking about all the times she has spent with her lovely grandson. Sarah has gone outside to get some fresh air. She feels the atmosphere and the situation are too much for her mind to handle. Leanne has her hands covering her mouth and her eyes closed, softly rocking herself backward and forward with worry. David sits back with his arms crossed, rubbing his arm lightly, thinking about the time when Nick went into a cardiac arrest years ago.

"Leanne", David says, breaking the horrible silence.

"Yeah?", Leanne mutters.

"Did Nick's heart stop beating in the ambulance at one point?"

Leanne takes a deep breath: "Yeah"

Gail squeezes her mother hands tighter and Audrey tries her best to comfort her again.

Then, the same nurse comes into the room to deliver the news.

Both Leanne and David stood up as soon as the nurse came in.

"I think you better sit down", the nurse instructs. Leanne slowly goes back to her seat while David continues to stand.

"Is he dead? Yes or no?", David snaps.

"David, please just sit down", Gail mutters, still resting her head on her mother's shoulder. David reluctantly agrees.

Once everyone has settled, the nurse explains Nick's condition:

"The surgery went well. We were able to remove the blood clot and stop the bleeding. However, Nick has developed brain swellings, so we are keeping him on a life support machine. We had to put him in an induced coma, it's the best way we can do to control the situation. We can only wake him up when the swellings have gone down and that his condition is stable"

Nearly everyone took a sigh of relief, but Gail is still tense.

"Will he... Will he make a full recovery?", Gail asks.

"Well, the operation went well, but your son has had major brain surgery. It's best just to take it day by day", the nurse replies.

"What about his brain injury? Is it going to be worse?", asks Leanne.

"To be honest, the fact that it was in the same place and it was a lot bigger than last time would suggest that the damage is going to be a lot worse. However, you do have to take into account how long it takes the swellings to go down and how long it takes for him to wake up", the nurse sighs.

Leanne didn't attempt to reply, what the nurse just said has hit her very hard.

"Having said this, we don't know how bad the damage is until he wakes up. Like I said, it's best to take it day by day. Unfortunately, there's still a chance he may die"

Gail again sobs but Audrey doesn't have the strength to comfort her. Neither Leanne or David says a word, as they try to take the news in.

Finally having the courage to ask, Leanne nervously lets the words she's been containing fall out of her mouth:

"Will I be able to see him?"

The nurse nods:

"Yes, of course, but two at a time please"


	6. Chapter 6

Both Gail and Leanne enter Nick's room. It only took a few seconds before they both started to cry.

Nick is lying on a hospital bed completely unconscious. He has a massive black eye; there are bruises and cuts everywhere on his body; he is lying on his back with his arms and legs straight and his head facing towards the ceiling. He's wearing a hospital gown; there's a tube going deep into his mouth; the top of his head is full of bandages yet half of his head is shaved off; there are loads of wires attached to him and there are tubes inserted into other places on his body. It is a horrible sight for both his partner and his mother to see.

Slowly walking towards him, Leanne sits down on the chair beside his bed and gently holds his hand closest to her. She notices a probe on the end of his index finger which is attached to a machine. There are a lot of machines in the room, all vital to keeping Nick alive.

"Should you try talking to-to him?", Gail stutters through tears as she stands near the door, unable to get any closer to her son.

" I-I wouldn't know what to say", Leanne mutters.

Finally finding her hidden strength, Gail walks to the other side of the bed and sits down beside Nick. She puts her hand on his arm and strokes his arm softly.

"Just say anything Leanne", Gail says.

Trying to pick up the courage, Leanne starts to crumble into tears:

"I can't-do this. I can't-do this again"

Gail watches Leanne breakdown in front of her and she feels absolutely terrible. She looks at Nick, then she plants a kiss on his cheek.

"If you can hear me, Nick, please can you do something for me. You've always been my amazing son, my first child. I love you so much. Leanne loves you so much. Your whole family loves you. I don't know if I am asking for a lot, but I know how strong you are, and you are very strong. So please Nick. Please, don't die"

As soon as Gail was finished talking to Nick, she was full of tears. Leanne has known Gail for many years, but this is the first time she has to admire her strength. She believes that if Gail can be incredibly strong, then so can Nick.


	7. Chapter 7

David walks in and spots Leanne kneeling on the floor. She's fast asleep with her head resting on Nick's bed and her hands still holding his arm. The state Nick's in does make David feel unsteady as he slowly seats down on the chair at the opposite side of the bed.

"You comfortable there Leanne?", David jokes which wake Leanne.

"I just close my eyes for a minute", Leanne replies.

"It's nine o'clock in the morning, considering you've been here since midnight, that must be some long minute"

Leanne looks at the digital clock and sees it just change from 9:00 am to 9:01 am. Gail must have left during the night when Leanne went to sleep.

Then David says something but Leanne didn't quite hear it.

"What did you say?", Leanne asks.

"The ventilator, it's different from the last time. Now it's just some sort of tube", David replies.

"Oh yeah, amazing how a tube can keep someone alive", Leanne yawns.

David suddenly looks away from Nick as his anger starts to get the better of him.

"Who did this Leanne?", David coldly asks.

Leanne looks at David and sees a face full of hate.

"I don't know. It all happened so fast", Leanne sternly replies.

"Well, whoever it was... I'm gonna kill them"

Leanne turns her head around to face Nick. Seeing him in this state makes her want to kill the person who did this to him herself; but she knows that isn't going to make Nick better and in fact, it would just make the situation even worse.

"David, let's just let the police do their job. Us trying to get revenge or whatever won't make Nick any better", Leanne mutters.

"It would make me feel better", David snaps.

"But you're not the one in a coma", Leanne snaps back.

David swallows back his words. He remembers the time he nearly put Max's and Lily's lives in danger when he tried to get revenge for his wife. It's something that still haunts him to this day.

"Sorry", David sighs.

He looks at Nick again. Leanne's right, Nick's recovery comes first. In fact, it was him that save Max and Lily when David's revenge plot got out of control. Smirking to himself, David reluctantly admits that Nick saved him from himself.

"Leanne"

"Yeah, what?", Leanne replies to David.

"Nick is going to survive this. And I don't care if he can't walk or talk, I'll always be there for him since he's always been there for him", David says.

Leanne smiles as she knows how close the two brothers are.

"Thanks, David, that's means a lot. And I know if Nick was awake right now, he would say the same thing", Leanne smiles through her tears.

David looks back at Leanne and smirks:

"And I know that if Nick was awake right now, he will tell you that you still look beautiful in that red dress- even though you have been wearing it since yesterday"

Leanne quietly giggles.


	8. Chapter 8

Walking into the hospital room, Gail spots David and Leanne still sitting beside Nick with Leanne still in her dress. The nurse has said that Nick can have more visitors at a time, but they have to be careful around him.

"Leanne. How long have you been there for?", Gail gasps.

"Does it matter?", Leanne snaps.

"She's been here since you left", David says.

Gail sighs. It's 10:30 am and Leanne has been there since midnight. She knows how much Leanne loves Nick, but she can't stay here forever. Everyone needs their strength to help Nick for his recovery.

"Leanne, go home. Go home, have a shower and gets some rest", Gail demands.

"Gail I'm not five, don't order me around", Leanne moans.

Then Gail mentions to Leanne that she is still 6 months pregnant, so not only does she need to look after herself, she needs to look after her baby as well. However, Leanne just shrugs it off.

* * *

It's 11:00 am and both Leanne, David and Gail are still in the hospital room- all waiting for any improvements in terms of Nick's condition. All of a sudden, Simon walks in, followed by Peter.

"What are you doing here?", Gail questions to Peter.

He ignores her and talks straight to Leanne:

"I just came here for Simon, he wanted to see Nick"

Simon stares at Nick for a while, barely able to control his emotions, as he remembers the accident that happened yesterday.

"Mum... I'm so- I'm so sorry. If it weren't for me telling you guys to hurry up, then Nick wouldn't be-"

Leanne gets off the floor and gives Simon a tight hug while Simon cries into her shoulder.

"Simon, none of this is your fault mate", David says to Simon.

"Yeah c'mon, don't blame yourself. You gotta stay strong for Nick", Peter comforts Simon.

"Ok, sorry", Simon sobs.

Seeing Simon like this is killing Leanne. Not only has she not given any thought about her baby, she also hasn't given any thought about Simon- for that, she extremely guilty.

"Leanne"

Turning around, Leanne spots Gail trying to grab her attention:

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you and Simon go back home, at least for a few hours, you both look exhausted", Gail suggests.

Leanne quietly nods her head. Gail's right, she needs to spend some time with Simon and looking after her baby.

"But... but what about Nick?", Leanne cries.

"I and David will be here, and Sarah said she's coming down as well. Don't worry, we won't leave him alone, and I'll let you know if anything happens", Gail reassures Leanne.

Leanne gently smiles, then gives Nick a soft kiss on the cheek:

"Bye, I'll see you soon. I love you".


	9. Chapter 9

Stroking Nick's arm with her thumb, Leanne stares at the heart monitor, secretly hoping that the line that is showing won't go flat. It's been three days since the accident. The police still haven't captured the person responsible for the incident, but new witnesses are coming forward, reporting a speeding van around the time when Nick got hit. Rubbing her hand across her belly, tears start to fall down Leanne's cheeks, as she's scared that her unborn child will grow up without having Nick as their father.

* * *

It's the afternoon now and Leanne has fallen asleep beside Nick's bed. Gail walks in, followed by Audrey.

"Oh no", Audrey whimpers. The first time she saw Nick in a coma, she could barely cope being in the same room. Now, seeing him in a coma for the second time, Audrey quietly sobs by the door, while Gail walks up to Nick's bed.

"Oh, it's just you", Leanne yawns as she wakes up.

"You look exhausted. Remember, you are six months pregnant, you have to look after yourselves as well as-"

"Yes, I know!", Leanne interrupts Gail. She's tired of people telling her over and over again to look after herself and her child.

As she starts to calm down, she spots Gail wiping a tear from her eye as she looks down at her son. Feeling incredibly guilty, Leanne apologises to Gail in which she accepts- she knows how hard this is for Leanne.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, I can't- I can't do this", Audrey cries before she walks out the room.

Both Gail and Leanne don't say anything. Instead, they both squeeze Nick's hands a bit tighter.

* * *

A few hours have gone the past and both Leanne and Gail are still in the room. They had periods when they were chatting to each other, then periods when they said nothing at all.

"I presume you're Nick Tilsley's family?", the nurse asks as she walks into the room.

"Yes-yes we are. Is there something wrong?", Gail replies.

The nurse sighs, "Well, it's about Nick's progress. We did manage to remove the blood clot but Nick is still in a critical condition. We hope to see a reduction of the swelling on his brain but the pressure is not coming down as fast as we like. If we don't see any improvements within the next 24 hours, we will have to operate again"

"But I don't understand, you said that you took the blood clot out", Leanne barely asks.

"Yes, we have. But we need to take a section of the bone on his skull to release the pressure inside his head. We won't be able to bring him out of the coma until his brain is stable again"

"So, if the pressure in his head doesn't go down by the next day, he will have to have another operation?"

"Yes, we wouldn't want to hold on any longer"

Both Leanne and Gail are speechless, this never happens to Nick when he had his previous accident. It is now suddenly hitting home to them that this injury is a lot worse than the other one he had. They are both praying that Nick makes some improvement within the next day, but as each second goes past, their doubt keeps on increasing.


	10. Chapter 10

"We're going to have to operate", the nurse announces. Both Leanne and Gail quietly nod, they both were expecting to hear that deep down.

"I'll give you five minutes with Nick while I'll get the team ready, but once the team is sorted, we'll have to take him to the theatre room", the nurse says.

"Ok, thank you", Gail replies.

Once the nurse left, Leanne lets the tears she was holding back fall, some landing on Nick's bed. Gail tries to reassure her (even though she is barely coping herself), but Leanne can't listen to a word that she is saying.

"I'm sorry Gail. It's just- it's just this didn't happen before, it didn't happen with his last crash and he struggled to cope afterward didn't he? In fact, he's still struggling now and I hate seeing him like that. So... if he ended in that state after his previous accident, what kind of state will he be in after this one... that's if he will survive this at all", Leanne cries.

Gail attempts to reply, but she couldn't think of anything to say. She just looks away from Leanne and stares deeply at Nick, watching every breath he takes; it's breaking her heart seeing her once dependable, successful son only being able to stay alive because of tubes and machines.

"Ok, we're ready now", the nurse says after she opens the door. Getting up from the chair, Gail gives Nick a small kiss on his cheek and heads to the door. It takes Leanne a few seconds longer to leave the room. Before she did, she goes up to Nick and gives him a gentle kiss on his forehead:

"Whatever happens, please don't die. Please"

* * *

It's been nearly five hours since Nick went into surgery. Leanne and Gail were both in the waiting room. They told David and Sarah about the operation and they both wanted to come, but they couldn't find anyone to look after their children. Then, one of the nurses walks into the waiting room:

"Nick Tilsley's family?"

"Yeah? Did everything go ok?", Leanne asks.

"Everything went according to plan. We've taken Nick to the neuroscience intensive care unit, where he will be closely monitored. We still think it is best to keep him in the coma until the swelling has gone down and until he can breathe on his own without the ventilator", the nurse replies.

Leanne thanks the nurse and Gail ask if they can go and see Nick in which the nurse allows them to.

* * *

Entering into the room, Leanne and Gail sit by Nick's bedside.

"Well done Nick", Gail smiles. "I knew you could do it"

Wiping a small tear from her eye, Leanne squeezes Nick's hand slightly and kisses him softly on his cheek.

"He's going to be ok"

Being caught off guard, Leanne looks up to Gail's hopeful face.

"He's going to be ok Leanne, I know he will"


	11. Chapter 11

She has been regretting this day. It was the day she was looking forward to for a while, spending it with her family, but now she is spending it in a hospital, with her partner still in a coma. It's been a week since Nick's accident and the swellings are starting to go down, but the nurses keep reminding Leanne that there is still a long way to go.

Softly stroking her husband's arm, she tells Nick about how much she misses him, wishing he wasn't so ill and that they could have spent Christmas like they planned: opening presents in the morning, eating Christmas dinner in the afternoon, playing silly games in the evening. All she wanted was for her, Simon, Nick, and her baby to have a peaceful family Christmas together. Why doesn't anything ever go to plan?

"Oh no"

Leanne turns her head towards the door and is quite surprising to who she is seeing:

"I can't believe you're here"

"Well, of course, I'll be here, where else would I be?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe in Liverpool Toyah?"

Crossing her arms in a sarcastic matter, Toyah then goes over to Leanne and wraps her arms around her from behind.

"If you don't want me here, I can just go you know", Toyah moans.

"Don't be silly. I'm glad you're here", Leanne replies. She really meant what she said, she hates to admit but she does get lonely and a bit bored when she is on her own with Nick- it's not like he is going to talk to her or do anything else. Though it is her own fault, she literally demanded to have some time alone with Nick today. However, seeing Toyah has brightened her day a little bit, it's been ages since the two have been together in Weatherfield.

"How is he?", Toyah asks, still hugging Leanne from behind.

"They said that the pressure in his head has gone down, so the swellings should be going down soon", Leanne says.

"That's good right?"

"Yeah, but the swellings are going take a while for them to go down. That's what the nurse said"

Toyah sighs. She hates seeing her sister like this. Admittedly, she's not Nick's number one fan, but she wouldn't wish this on anyone. Leanne has been keeping her updated while she has been in Liverpool, but she knew she had to come down at some point to support her sister, especially today.

"Oh by the way, here you go", Toyah says as she gets a small present out of her pocket.

"What's this?", Leanne giggles as she can't contain how shock she is.

"What do you think it is? It's a Christmas present for you silly. Don't people give each other presents on Christmas anymore?"

"I just can't believe _you_ would give anyone a present"

"Hey! What's that suppose to mean?"

The two began to quietly laugh at them. Soon after, Leanne opens the present to find a silver necklace with a locket attached to it.

"It was so you could a picture of your baby in it, you know, once it's born", Toyah explains.

Leanne gently smiles as tears start to roll down her cheeks. It's only around three months till her child is born, but she has no idea what state Nick is going to be in at that time. If she could have any present right now, she would just want Nick to be fully okay by the birth of her child. No, their child.


	12. Chapter 12

"You're still here?", David scoffs. Leanne suddenly wakes up and notices it is now boxing day. Toyah must have left a while ago, perhaps she didn't want to disturb her when she nodded off. She looks behind to face David to see him wearing a dirty look.

"Yeah, is that a problem?", Leanne questions.

David sighs, "You can't be here all the time, you have Simon and your baby to look after"

"Yeah, I keep hearing that over, and over again", Leanne snaps.

Rolling his eyes, David walks up to the spare chair to sit beside Nick.

"To be honest, I don't care about Simon or your baby. They're your kids, they're your problem", David says.

"Wow David, you can be _so_ thoughtful sometimes", Leanne replies.

"But I do care about my brother. You're not the only one who wants to be with him all the time. Hmph, even though it was Christmas and my birthday yesterday, all I wanted was to be here with Nick"

Feeling a little bit guilty, Leanne looks down slightly onto Nick's hand that she was resting on. As much as she hates to admit it, she has been with Nick a lot more than anyone else has, including his own mother and brother. Although, no matter how fair it would be to let other people be alone with Nick, she just cannot seem to leave the man she truly loves. The thought of her sleeping in her bed without her loved one terrifies her.

"For crying out Leanne, just go!", snaps David, interrupting Leanne's trail of thought.

"Oh shut up David, you just don't understand!" Leanne retaliates.

"I don't care if I don't understand. In fact, you're the one that doesn't understand! Let's say that Nick dies, you can still find someone else to be with. Me? If Nick dies, I would have lost the only brother I've ever had. So you're the one that doesn't understand"

Leanne holds back her tears as she tries not to show how much David's cruel words have hurt her. Wiping back a tear she failed to keep inside her, she replies back to David:

"You of all people should know that you cannot simply replace someone that you love"


	13. Chapter 13

"Oh sorry, I didn't think you both would still be in here"

Both Leanne and David turn around to see Sarah standing beside the door.

"Don't worry, Leanne was just leaving", David replies, giving a cold look to Leanne.

"Are you kidding me? After what I just said!", Leanne fires back.

"Don't ever use Kylie to get your own way again"

"I wasn't _using_ Kylie. I was just pointing out that we both know what it is like to lose someone we love"

"Ha! You have no idea what it is like"

"Yes, I do. Remember, I lost a Kal in that fire at Victoria Court"

"Haha! You have got to be joking. Kal was just some rebound after you dumped Nick"

"Oh, will you shut up! You have no idea what you are talking about!"

Rolling back her eyes, Sarah sighs as she watches Leanne and David bicker over Nick's comatose body:

"Will you two just stop it. Is this really the time and the place to be arguing?"

Feeling ashamed, David and Leanne both apologise to each other as Sarah's words sink in.

"Anyway, I thought of an idea about how we can all visit Nick", Sarah says.

"Oh really, what is it?", David asks.

"I was thinking of writing a rota for the family, so then there will always be someone with Nick and that everyone has a chance to visit him. What do you think about that?"

"Yeah, sounds like a good idea"

"Leanne?"

It took Leanne a while to reply. She was feeling a bit embarrassed about how she has been behaving and how selfish she has been. Yet, all she wants to do is to be with Nick and support him all the time. However, she hates to admit it, but she is starting to feel sore and very tired, perhaps the rota idea would be a good idea after all.

"Yeah, David's right, it is a good idea. I'm so sorry, I've been here for ages and haven't even thought about how tough this is for you guys. I'll start heading back and you two can be with Nick", Leanne tells David and Sarah.

"How are you getting back?", Sarah asks.

"Taxi", Leanne replies back.

David sighs, "I'll take you back. Sarah, are staying here with Nick?"

"Of course", Sarah says.

Standing up and getting ready to leave, Leanne tells David not to worry about giving her liftback, but David insists, saying he owns her for saying the horrible stuff he said early.

As they leave, Sarah sits beside Nick and gently holds his hand. She looks at the heart monitor and wipes back a tear:

"I'm so sorry that couldn't be by your side before, but this time, I promise, I'll be here for you, as long as it takes"


	14. Chapter 14

It's been a few days since Sarah has made the rota. Everyone has been sticking to it and now there aren't any problems with people visiting Nick. There's still been no change in Nick's condition, but all the family has been extremely supportive and they always make sure that someone is with Nick.

David has been sitting by Nick's side since noon; he hasn't done much since he has been in the hospital room. Instead, he has just been sitting in the chair, thinking about all sort of things.

"You alright there love?"

Looking up, David sees Gail by the door, looking slightly concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just thinking really"

Gail gives a warm smile and sits beside Nick, automatically holding his hand.

"Leanne told me that the police have caught the people responsible for the accident", Gail says.

"Really?", David replies.

"Yeah. More witnesses came to give in evidence and when they caught them, apparently they confessed to everything. Plus, they had actually robbed a restaurant before the accident happened, that's why they were going so fast"

"Do you know how long they are going to get?"

"Not exactly, but it looks like a long time"

"Good"

Sighing, Gail softly strokes Nick's hand with her fingers and looks towards his bruised, yet peaceful face:

"Did you hear that Nick? Those people who have done this to you are now going to be in prison. So now, you just have to focus on getting better"

David gets up from his chair and walks towards his mum. Wrapping his arms around her, Gail weeps into her son's left shoulder.

"Everything is going to be ok mum. Nick is gonna get better quicker than you think, so don't worry", David whispers, as he wipes a tear from his right eye.


	15. Chapter 15

"Did I ever tell you that I and Brain were going to call Nick, Daniel?", Gail asks Leanne.

"No, I don't think so", Leanne replies.

"Yeah, we were going to call Nick, 'Daniel David Tilsey', but someone pointed out that his initials would be DDT, and you don't want your initials to be DDT"

"No... no, you do not"

"So that's why we named him 'Nicholas Paul Tilsley', just after he was born"

Leanne giggles to herself, despite the pain she is hiding on this particular day.

"36 years ago, we were both in this exact hospital. It was the first I ever met you Nick, and it was the happiest day of my life. You look so gorgeous. I knew that day that this beautiful little boy will grow up to be an amazing man", Gail tells Nick while squeezing his hand.

"Then you did become an amazing man. I suppose you made some mistakes here or there, but not everyone's perfect. I'm always proud of you Nick. I love you so much. I can't wait until you wake up, so I can have my son back with me again"

Gail wipes her tears with her right hand and still holds Nick's hand with her left. She can't stop thinking about what to do with the presents she has brought for Nick for Christmas and his birthday, all she wants to do is give them to him, so she can see the smile on his face.

Deciding that Gail needs some time alone with Nick, Leanne heads out to get some coffees for both her and Gail. Before she leaves the room, she goes to Nick and kisses him on his cheek, then she says to him softly:

"Happy birthday Nick"


	16. Chapter 16

It's been nearly a month since the accident. There still hasn't been any change in Nick's condition. His family has been told that the longer Nick is in a coma, the worse his brain damage may be.

Nodding off to sleep, Leanne sits beside Nick's bed while holding his hand. The constant beeping of the heart monitor is what is keeping her awake, even though her eyes feel so heavy. Rubbing her belly, she takes in a deep breath to stop herself from crying; she needs Nick to be alright, not for her sake, but for their baby's sake.

"Hey, is it alright if I come in?"

Leanne turns around to see Eva by the door.

"Yeah, of course", Leanne replies.

Walking into the room, Eva gasps as she sees Nick for the first time since the accident. She's not sure whether she can handle sitting beside Nick with him being in such a terrible state. Cursing herself for not being strong enough, Eva heads to the door.

"Eva?", Leanne calls out.

"Yeah?", Eva mumbles.

"You don't mind... sitting in here for a bit"

"I... I don't know if I can"

"It's just... it would be nice to have someone to talk to"

Leanne then lets out a little a chuckle:

"Actually, it would be nice to have someone who could just reply back to me"

Sighing, Eva goes towards the other chair to sit down, then automatically goes to grab Leanne's hand from the other side of the bed.

"Listen, no matter what happens, you and Nick will get through this, I know you will", Eva says.

Smiling, Leanne's tears roll down her eyes as she places her and Eva's hand with Nick's hand and squeezes them both tightly.


	17. Chapter 17

"Ok, so that's chapter 3 done, onto the next one"

As Sarah turns over a page, she spots Bethany walking into the room.

"Aren't you suppose to be at school?", Sarah asks.

"School finished an hour ago", Bethany replies.

Glancing at the clock, Sarah sighs, knowing that she has lost track of time.

"So um... when is Uncle Nicky going to wake up?", Bethany mumbles while wiping a tear.

Sarah takes in a deep breath, "We don't know babe"

Bethany looks down towards the floor and rubs the discomfort of her arms. She is really missing her uncle. She misses seeing him in the bistro, seeing him running around the street, seeing him happy with Leanne, Simon and their unborn baby; she just wants Nick to get out of the hospital as soon as possible. In fact, Bethany really looks up to Nick. Even though she would never tell Nick herself, she admires how he has such a neat flat, a cool car, and an amazing business. Plus, Nick is the most helpful and thoughtful person she has ever met; so seeing him in such a state is really hurting her.

"Bethany...", Sarah mutters.

"Yeah?", Bethany replies.

"Um- you do realise, whatever happens, Nick... won't be the same"

"What do you mean?"

Sarah sighs, "Well, because of his previous brain damage, the doctors said that it's very unlikely that Nick will fully recover, that is if he does pull through"

"So... what are you trying to say?", Bethany asks with a slightly broken voice.

"I'm saying that if you think Nick is going to wake up one minute then be at the bistro the next, then you're wrong. Even after his first accident, it took Nick a while for him to be back to his normal self, and even then he still had some issues. And now, the doctors are saying that this injury is a lot worse, so what I'm trying to say is... don't get your hopes up"

Tears rolling down her cheeks, Bethany storms out of the room and run down the corridor. Being overwhelmed with guilt, Sarah admits to herself that she was too harsh on Bethany. Perhaps the reason is that she is struggling to get over the fact that she may never have her brother again, whether he is dead or alive.

Meanwhile, as Bethany runs through the hospital, she can't help thinking of her uncle being stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, not being able to talk, have to have people to help him do simple things. What if Nick doesn't even remember her?


	18. Chapter 18

It's late morning and it's just Gail who is with Nick. She has been there for a while, just talking to him about all sort of things. The atmosphere is very quiet (apart from the constant beeping of the heart monitor) and peaceful, if it won't for the wires and the tubes, it would just be as if Nick is just having a lie in.

Getting up from her chair, Gail tells Nick she is just going out to get a quick cup of coffee before giving him a soft kiss on his forehead.

* * *

"I'm telling you, James, mum won't stop talking about Chelsea"

"But Paul, I thought she liked her?"

"Are you kidding me!? Mum has never liked any of the women I've been out with"

"Is that because she's jealous?"

"Eww, what, NO!"

"Jealous that she won't be the only woman in her golden child's life?"

"Ok, now you're just getting ridiculous"

"Hey! If you weren't such a mummy's boy, maybe you wouldn't have this problem"

"Oh, just shut up!"

Gail can't help but laugh out loud as she heard the two young doctors conversation as they walk through the corridor. For a moment, she thought it was Nick talking to someone about her.

* * *

"You won't believe what I heard when I was getting my coffee! This young doctor named Paul I think was telling his colleague how much of a pain his mother is because she never likes any of the women he goes out with. Hahaha, who does that remind you of Nick? I mean, I know I get... a bit tough on the women you go out with... perhaps I'm a bit tougher on Leanne... just a little bit, but what you and Paul don't understand is that we care about you. We care about you so much that we don't want you to get hurt because when you get hurt, I get hurt too"

Holding his hand tightly, Gail can't stop laughing to herself about the two doctors, especially the one named Paul.

Suddenly, a loud alarm goes off in Nick's room.

All of sudden, five nurses run into Nick's room.

"What's going on?", Gail asks.

"We need you to take a seat outside now!", demands one of the nurses.

"But what is that noise?"

"Get out of the room NOW!"

Gail staggers out of the room and finds the nearest chair to sit on. She feels very uncomfortable and she takes in a deep breath, not knowing what's about to unfold.


	19. Chapter 19

"Nurse, adrenaline", says one of the nurses.

Another nurse is applying chest compressions on Nick's chest.

Another is connecting the tube from the ventilator to an oxygen mask.

Another goes to the window, where she briefly spots Gail looking across, and closes the blinds.

Then, she goes to cut up Nick's hospital gown to reveal his chest. After that, another nurse goes to put on two pads, one on the upper right side of his chest and one on his left side, just below his armpit.

"Ok, charging", one of the nurses says.

The defibrillator makes a noise and then another nurse tells everyone to stand clear.

All of sudden, Nick's chest shocks up.

Then the nurse carries on applying chest compressions onto Nick.

* * *

It's been 9 minutes. There still hasn't been any change.

"Stop compressions. Let me do a pulse check", says one of the nurses.

He places two fingers on the side of Nick's neck and tells the nurse to continue with the compressions as there is no output.

"Can I have another adrenaline to give to Nick please", the same nurse asks.

One of the nurses injects an adrenaline drug through Nick's arm, while another nurse takes over the compressions.

"The defibrillator is charging", a nurse says.

It makes the same noise again and the nurse tells everyone to stand clear.

Nick's chest shocks up again, then the nurse carries on applying chest compressions on him.

* * *

It's now been 15 minutes.

"How many adrenaline injections has he had?", one nurse asks.

"Three", another nurse applies.

The nurses then apply another shock to Nick via the defibrillator.

Again, Nick's chest shocks up, and a different nurse applies chest compressions.

"Ok, stop!", one nurse commands. He places two fingers on the side of Nick's neck and feels a pulse. Another nurse looks at the heart monitor and sees a line going up and down.

"He's breathing again", a nurse exclaims.

"Ok, good job everyone. Paul, connect Nick back to the ventilator and I'll let his mother know what has just happened", says one of the nurses.

While everyone sorts out Nick, the male nurse heads out of the room to talk to Gail.

* * *

"Are you Nick Tilsley's mother?", the nurse asks.

"Yes?", Gail hesitates.

"I'm pleased to tell you that Nick is now fine"

"What happened?"

"He had a cardiac arrest but we were able resurrected him-"

Gail lets out a loud cry and collapses to the floor. Coming around the corner, David runs to his mother and holds her in his arms.

"Mum, what's happened?", David asks.

"Nick Tilsley just had a cardiac arrest, but we were able to resurrect him. He's back in his original condition"

David looks upon Nick's room as he is just registering what the nurse just said. The thought that he could have lost his brother a few minutes ago is suffocating him.


	20. Chapter 20

It's been over an hour since David saw Gail in the corridor. The two are now in Nick's room, nervously watching him by his bedside.

"Um... David", Gail mutters.

"Yeah?", David replies.

"I'm going to head back. I just need to... I just need to get outside, get some fresh air"

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, no, no, I... I don't want Nick to be alone"

Looking down at his comatose brother, David hears his mother's broken goodbye as she walks out of the room. Seeing the heart monitor's line going up and down, David takes in a deep breath and crosses his arms. As he holds back the tears, he begins to stare towards Nick, wondering if his brother can survive this.

Clearing his throat, David starts to speak to his brother:

"Ok, you better listen to me. I...I know you can hear me, so... so you better not die. I don't care what state you'll be in after this, whatever happens, I'm going to be there for you. I mean I mean I suppose it is my fault that you're in this mess. If it won't for the crash that I caused, then maybe this injury wouldn't be so bad. So, after you get out of here, I'm going to look after you, I'll be there for anything that you need... I mean it's the least I can do"

Wiping away his tears, David's voice begins to crack:

"Nick... I've already lost Kylie...I can't lose you too"

* * *

A few hours has gone passed, David is still beside Nick's bed, although he has fallen asleep.

"How is he?"

David suddenly wakes up and spots a worried Leanne near the door.

"He's um, he's fine. I mean, there hasn't been any changes", David stutters.

Leanne goes to sit near Nick's bedside and automatically holds his hand tight. Gail only informed her about the cardiac arrest a few minutes ago, but as soon as Leanne heard, she went straight to the hospital as fast as she could.

Noticing that David can hardly keep awake, Leanne tells him to go home, it almost sounded like an order. David reluctantly walks out of the room, leaving Leanne and Nick alone. Glancing at his broken face, Leanne gently strokes his cheek and then kisses his hand that she's holding. She just wants her lover, her best friend to be ok, to be alive.

"Excuse me, it's Leanne isn't it?"

Leanne turns around to spot a doctor near the door.

"Yes?", Leanne replies.

"I need to talk to you about Nick, it's very important"

"What is it?", Leanne asks with fear as she heads out of Nick's room.

"We want to test Nick to see whether he is brain dead", the doctor replies.

"You-you what?"

"Well, we initially wanted to do it today, but after Nick's cardiac arrest, we've decided to do it within the next week"

"What do you mean by 'brain dead'?"

"It means that Nick would have incurable brain damage that stops him from breathing on his own. If Nick is brain dead, that means he's unable to keep himself alive without the ventilator, so we would have to discuss turning off the machines"

"But... if we do turn off the machines, that means Nick will..."

"Yeah, Nick would eventually die. However, this will only happen if he does test positive for brain death"

Leanne quietly nods. The doctor then explains that if the test goes really well, they may be able to take Nick off the ventilator, which gives Leanne a bit of hope. Afterwards, he talks through the procedure to her and gives her a date of when the test will happen.

* * *

Walking into Nick's room, Leanne glances over his peaceful looking face, covered in bandages, bruises, and scars. Still, she softly kisses his forehead before she holds his hand and starts to talk to him:

"Just spoke to the doctor. He said you've got a big test coming up. It's... it's nothing for you to worry about because I know I know you'll do well in it. Listen, if you do really well in it, you may even get that big tube out of your mouth, I bet you'll like that. Then, the next step will be you getting out of those woods, hehe, you know, finally waking up and I'll finally be able to see your beautiful green eyes again. Then finally, you'll be able to come home, so than me, you, Simon and our baby can finally start our little family together"

Squeezing his hand a little bit tighter, Leanne couldn't help but smile at the thought of the four of them together.

* * *

"But why do we have to turn off the machines?! If they are keeping him alive, we should have them still on!", Gail shouts.

"Mum, he'll just be in a coma for the rest of his life, he might as well be dead", David mutters.

"But he wouldn't be dead! He'll still be alive!", Gail shouts back.

"Yeah, but mum, they would probably have to use those machines for somebody else, and probably Nick's bed as well", Sarah replies.

"I don't care about anyone else. I JUST WANT MY SON TO BE ALIVE!", Gail shouts before crumbling into tears.

A few minutes ago, Leanne arrived at the Platt's house and told them everything the doctor told her about Nick's test. While Leanne is optimistic about the test, Gail is the complete opposite.

"Gail, listen, he may be alright. In fact, he may even have the ventilator taken out", Leanne tells Gail, trying to calm her down.

"And what he if isn't ok? He's been in a coma for nearly two months now. He just had a cardiac arrest. He could of die today. What if he's not strong enough for the test? How can you stand there and be so positive?", Gail cries as Sarah goes to hug her broken mother.

Leanne takes in a massive breath:

"Gail, honestly, I've known for a long time. You're one of the most stubborn, yet determined women I have ever met. Nick is your son. If he's even half as strong as you are, then he will get through this. He'll get through the test and he'll be here before you know it. All we have to do is to have hope"

Agreeing with everything that she just said, Gail apologises to everyone for her behaviour and starts to believe in her son again.


	21. Chapter 21

"Ok, that's chapter 5 done", Sarah says as she puts down the book on the bedside table.

It's only a couple days away from Nick's test. The entire family is feeling incredibly nervous, especially Gail, who hasn't even been sleeping or eating well. Sarah jokes to Nick about all the stress that he's causing for their mum and how she keeps on going about his achievements, making her and David a bit jealous.

Then, she goes to hold her brother's hand which is still warm.

"You know, sometimes... sometimes I think about dad. I mean, I didn't know him as well as you did, but sometimes I think what it would be like if he was still alive. Hehe, I wonder what he would think of me? I bet he would be so proud of you though, with everything you have accomplished, it's such a shame that he isn't around", Sarah tells Nick.

Looking up at the heart monitor, Sarah watches the line going up and down with a bit of relief.

"Do you- do you think about dad?", Sarah asks even though she knows she won't get an answer.

David, Gail, and Leanne are in the waiting room. They are all feeling unsteady because the doctor has just told them that they are about to start the brain stem death test on Nick. David is looking towards the floor with his arms crossed. Gail is looking around the room, reading the posters off the wall to help her with her nerves. Leanne is looking towards the door, waiting for the doctor to walk back into the room- even though he has just left.

* * *

After going through all the pre-conditions, the two doctors agree that Nick is suitable for the brain stem death test.

Firstly, they do the "response to painful stimulus" test where one of the doctors twists a reflex hammer between Nick's left toes. Suddenly, Nick withdraws his foot from the hammer. They repeat the same action again with Nick's right toes and he also withdraws that foot. Then, the doctor presses down onto his nails on both of his hands and both times, Nick withdraws his hand.

Another doctor goes to note down that Nick has a normal response to the test.

Secondly, they do the "pupillary response to light" test where one of the doctors turns off the lights and the other one gently opens Nick's eyes and shines the neuro-touch onto Nick's left eye's pupil. His eye suddenly constricts. The doctor does the same action again on the right eye and Nick's right eye also constricts.

One of the doctors goes to note down that Nick has a normal response to the test.

Thirdly, they do the "corneal reflex" test where one of the doctors opens Nick's left eye and touches the side of Nick's eye with the tip of a cotton-bud. Nick's eye blinks. The doctor repeats the same action on Nick's right eye and it also blinks.

Another doctor goes to note down that Nick has a normal response to the test.

Fourthly, they do the "doll's eye reflex" test where one of the doctors opens Nick's eyes and turns his head to one side and then to the other side. On both times, Nick's eyes moved to remained fixated on the same position he was staring at before his head was turned.

Another doctor goes to note down that Nick has a normal response to the test.

Fifthly, they do the "gag reflex" test where one of the doctors sticks a different cotton-bug into the top part of Nick's mouth. Nick then gags.

Another doctor goes to note down that Nick has a normal response to the test.

Sixthly, they do the "vestibular-ocular reflex" test where one of the doctors checks Nick's ears then puts his bed up at 30 degrees, while the other one fills up a jug with cold water and ice, then leaves it to settle after 5 minutes. Afterwards, the doctor fills up a syringe with the cold water and collects a container to place under Nick's left ear. Next, she places the syringe into Nick's ear and inserts the cold water into his ear, while the other doctor keeps Nick's eyes open. Then, Nick's left eye moves fast in the right direction, then slow in the left direction. This action repeats as the doctor inserts the cold water into the ear. They do the same action on the right ear and Nick's right eye does the same action in the opposite direction.

One of the doctors goes to note down that Nick has a normal response to the test.

Finally, they do the "apnoea" test where the doctors connect Nick's ventilator tube to a non-rebreathing circuit to see if Nick can breathe on his own.


	22. Chapter 22

The doctor walks into the waiting room.

Leanne immediately jumps up from her chair and nearly runs towards the doctor:

"How did it go?"

The doctor replies, "Nick isn't brain dead and he's off the ventilator. I'm pleased to say he's breathing without assistance"

Both David and Gail let a big sigh of relief while Leanne shows a wide smile on her face.

"I knew he would be alright, I just knew it", Leanne says with joy.

Gail stands up from her chair and gives thanks to the doctor, followed by David and Leanne.

"So um, is he going to be alright now?", David asks the doctor.

"I'm afraid he's still unresponsive. He hasn't regained full conscious. This means we can't know the full extent of the damage to Nick's brain", the doctor replies.

The three of them all look down towards the floor feeling a bit hopeless, which the doctor notices.

"It still good news that Nick is off the ventilator, that's a big step towards getting him better. We going to transfer his care to the neuro rehab team where he'll be closely monitored", the doctor says to try and reassure them.

Feeling a bit hopeful, Leanne thanks the doctor and asks if she can see Nick. The doctor allows her and directs her to Nick's new room.

* * *

"We've taken off the bandages off his head. I must warn you, it isn't a pleasant sight, but it's not as bad as it looks", the doctor warns both Leanne and Gail. David went back home to tell everyone the news.

As they walk into the room, they both see Nick still lying on the bed completely unconscious with wires and tubes all on top of him. However, he has a big oxygen mask on his mouth that is connected to a machine. The doctor explains that it is to aid Nick's breathing by giving him more oxygen. Walking closer to Nick's bed, they notice all the deep scars on his shaved head. There's a big scar that is in a shape of a loop on the side of his head, then lots of small scars on top of his head.

"Just give us a ring if you need anything", the doctor tells them before he leaves the room.

Both Leanne and Gail sit on either side of Nick's bed.

"Oh... just look at all those scars", Gail whimpers.

"Hey, you heard the doctor, they are not as bad as they seem. Besides, this is a good day. Nick isn't brain dead and he's going to get better now", Leanne smiles as she holds Nick's hand.

"Yeah, yeah you're right", Gail replies.

Leanne then goes to kiss a part of Nick's head that doesn't have any scars on. As soon as she does that, she feels a massive kick in her belly.

"You look like you're going to pop any minute", Gail jokes.

"Haha, yeah, this little guy is just ready to come out", Leanne giggles.


	23. Chapter 23

Waking up from a deep slumber, Gail notices the clock displaying the time of 7:13 am. She had been staying by Nick's bedside through the night. It's been a few days since Nick's test, yet there still hasn't been any change in his condition.

"Morning love", Gail yawns as she immediately goes to stroke Nick's arm.

"You know, those chairs are actually really comfortable to sleep on. Though I suppose, they are probably not as comfortable as your bed. The nurses here, they change your sheets, give you new and fluffy pillows and even give you a new duvet every two weeks; just to make sure you feel absolutely comfortable", Gail rambles.

"Oh, what am I saying? I just keep going on and on and on", Gail sighs.

A nurse walks in the room and kindly gives Gail a magazine. After checking that the machines that are attached to Nick are working properly, he leaves Gail alone with Nick again in the room.

Going through the magazine, Gail spots a horoscope page which makes her excited because she loves reading horoscopes.

"Let's see, my horoscope is, _'The day will be fairly eventful'_ , oh wow, I wonder what's going to happen today then. Oh, there's more, _'There's some likelihood that you will feel compelled to finally settle some tedious matter, either the details of a project or a problem concerning your domestic life. You won't rest until it's finished, and you won't be distracted, no matter how you're cajoled to join the others. The only thing that will matter to you will be solving this problem'_ , hmm, I wonder what all that means", Gail tells Nick.

"Oh, and here's yours, _'You may have been feeling out of sorts recently'_ , haha, well that's spot on! _'It's time to put that exercise regime to admission'_ , so um, yeah", Gail says while getting a bit teary.

All of a sudden, Eva runs into Nick's room, catching Gail off guard.

"Eva! What is it?", Gail asks.

Eva pants, "It's Leanne! She's had her baby"


End file.
